Update 3/6/2008: The 2008 version of this software has a new ‘feature’ added. It logs out the user on your Windows machine, so you can connect from the Mac. The old version beta version I had didn’t make you do that. Other than that, it had a bunch more nag screens about security (what else is new). But it will let you copy and paste files if you share out your Mac drive. Still no drag and drop onto your Mac desktop though unfortunately.

Do you have a Mac, a Windows PC and most importantly stairs? Would you like to use the first two in a way that doesn’t always involve the later? Well have I got a tool for you! Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection beta for Mac means you’ll never have to get up off the couch again!

Clearly the problem with having two computers is that you constantly have to transfer stuff from one to the other. Or if you’re like me, you have one pristine new computer that has the bare essentials, and one old workhorse knee deep in elbow grease. What this remote desktop utility is use your sexy computer to manipulate the workhorse. And that’s what you want!

It’s a relatively simple exercise to install. Just download the five meg zip file onto your Mac and off you go. On the other end, you need to enable remote connections in the Windows control panel. So yes it is a bit fiddly, and to be frank the help files could have been a lot better. But once it’s up and runnin’, oh joy of joys. You can run your Windows machine’s desktop on your Mac just like you were there. Over a wireless LAN, it’s not too jerky either. So why not give it a crack?

Importantly, it’s optimised to interact with Vista based Windows machines (call it optimism) but it will work with XP. Be warned though that the help files are based on Vista.

Before you shirk at Microsoft products, there is a bunch of other remote desktop solutions for Mac. All are infinitely more confusing - and expensive - than this one. Microsoft Remote Desktop seems to do the job pretty nicely, and that’s all I really care about.

Download Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac Beta 2 (look for Remote Desktop at the bottom of the poorly designed page!)